Moroccan Golf Breaks & Mr Montgomerie

Popular destinations such as the Algarve in Portugal, the Costa del Sol in Spain and the mighty USA have long been at the heart of the golf travel and rightly so considering the wealth of world class courses, stunning scenery, excellent food and, of course, impeccable playing conditions all on offer.

However in recent years certain factors have extended golf’s reach into parts of the world that may not have traditionally been considered as ideal golf holiday destinations. Morocco is just such a destination and as we speak there are a number of superb golf courses which are perfectly complemented by outstanding accommodation options, a climate conducive to golf and, perhaps most importantly, fascinating cultural and historical attractions.

All of these factors make Morocco a great option for your next golf break and to make the deal even sweeter, Ryder Cup legend and European Golf Design have teamed up to add yet another world class golf course to Morocco’s portfolio.

Next to one of Morocco’s finest beaches, Plage des Nations, near Rabat, the 8 time European Order of Merit winner and EGD will be creating a golf course that is set to be the centrepiece of a new 1,200-acre luxury resort and expansive residential community that will also feature a golf clubhouse, beach club, hotel and shopping centre.

This will be the eighth time Monty and EGD have worked together and previous efforts, including courses in Ireland, Turkey and Scotland, would suggest that they have created one of the most successful design partnerships in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The Plage des Nations Resort is set to become one of the largest developments of its kind in North Africa and will occupy a site offering breathtaking elevated views of the Atlantic Ocean. The 18-hole, Par 72 golf course will wind its way through valleys and an undulating downland landscape just a stone’s throw from the beachfront and the infinite expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.

Of the course in question, Montgomerie said: “We’ve got interesting terrain and changes in elevation to work with, which is helping us to create a lively, intricate, and strategic design. We will be having some fun with the contouring, to encourage golfers to play more creatively. I am keen on designs that test a golfer’s initiative & decision making, so Plage des Nations is going to be a definitive expression of that philosophy. It will be challenging putting it together and we’re confident that the end result will be a beautiful, testing and fun golf course.”

As well as Colin Montgomerie, EGD offers signature design golf courses from Annika Sorenstam, designer of the Annika Course at the Mission Hills Resort in China, and Bernhard Langer whose previous efforts include the Portmarnock Links in Ireland. There are also a number of other players from the European Tour involved with course designs across the globe. EGD will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, with its team of acclaimed architects having made their mark on more than 50 golf courses across the globe. Their most notable creation thus far has been the famous Twenty Ten Course at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales.

Jeremy Slessor, Managing Director of EGD, said: “Signature design is proven to raise the profile of many developments, adding value to sales of golf tourism packages, membership and real estate. Colin Montgomerie and EGD have worked on a number of projects and what you get with Colin is a hands-on approach and involvement from a world-class player who has an instinctive talent for golf course design. He has a clear idea of what he expects of a course bearing his name and Plage des Nations is an exciting prospect that we look forward to working on together.”

It seems then, that the already superb golf holiday destination of Morocco is about to get a whole lot better! Watch this space!

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The resident golf geek at Your Golf Travel. Have been lucky enough to have travelled far and wide playing golf and if I’m not writing about it at work, you will probably find me hacking it around my local course. Owner of 2 holes in one and some of the most crooked drives you have ever seen!